Toy
by BellatrixLestrangey
Summary: Prompt from focusas: In the end of Search Azula run into forgetful valley finding one of the pools, it was portal to other world. She jumps into the pool. It happened so that that portal led to Ark in Department of Mysteries. Taking place prior to the battle. Bella is secretly looking for the prophecy and comes across Azula instead.
1. Through The Veil

It was a voice in the wind, soft and sweet—akin to the gentle rustle of leaves. It had been calling to her for months now, coaxing her into the woods.

Deeper and deeper each day.

The voice was soothing. The voice was company.

It helped her find her spirit pool.

_Her_ spirit pool.

She just had to get rid of its protector. The voice seemed to think it was a good idea. The voice, refused to lead her to anywhere but that little pool of water. The crystalline, undisturbed disk of water. It was practically lulling her to sleep as she stared.

But she hadn't the time to sleep, she was jumping into that pool today.

The spirit guarding the pool—a wolf-like thing with branchy limbs—positioned itself so that it was lying on the ground, front paw tucked under its head. It lazily licked its snout. It wouldn't be hard to sneak around him…or her at this point.

Azula lowered herself from the branches of the bush she was perched in. She cringed at the small thud risen by her feet contacting the grassy ground. She glanced up at the wolf-spirit. It seemed undisturbed. The voice was silent now. Either it didn't want to help her any further or it didn't want to distract her.

She slowly crept towards the spirit pool scanning the ground for any branches or twigs to avoid. Her path seemed void of them so she moved forward with no speed. It was all too easy.

Azula wondered where she'd end up if she jumped into that pool—or if it'd take her anywhere at all. The last thing she needed was to resurface near an angered spirit. She pushed the thoughts down, there was no room for hesitation. Such thoughts only lead to fear. Fear spurned hesitation. She wouldn't have it, she was above fear.

She came to the edge of the pool where the water met land.

Without a second thought she dove in head first. It was in midair that all the what if's flooded back in. Her body slipped under the surface before she could take any action to stop it.

The water was dark and cold. Nothing like it was on the surface. Azula let herself sink deeper, there didn't seem to be a bottom nor any sort of passage into another world. She couldn't go without air for much longer, she knew it. But she'd distanced herself too far from the surface to make it. She was stuck, she was going to die. What chance did a firebender stand to the water really?

She felt a stab of betrayal, the voice lead her to this fate. It wanted her to die. The voice had to be of her mother's making.

What had she gotten herself into?

Her lungs burned…but not that pleasant kind of firey burn she'd come to appreciate. It was more of a desperate aching burn. One she couldn't get rid of. Not unless she just ended it all right there.

She opened her mouth and let the water in.

It was too much. The pressure. The water seemed to be stuck. Her body contracted, trying to take in air that simply didn't exist in this world. It was a messy involuntary effort, her body's last effort to keep itself alive.

Azula shut her eyes. Her body going limp.

Bella moved quickly from shelf to shelf.

Scowling to herself she carelessly tossed the 'useless' prophecies to the floor, sending glittery shards in every direction. With each the room grew more and more smokey—thick and dense with entities trying desperately to whisper what information they had. Each trying just as hard as the next to pull Bellatrix's attention in their way.

But she would not have it. She had to find _the_ prophecy.

The one the dark lord had sent her for…

Sent _them_ for.

She would get it first and she would get the glory.

She hadn't time to waste on those chattering mist figures.

She scampered by another shelf. Why were there so many of them? Who the hell even had time to make all of these things? Moreover who had time to keep track of them all?

Her frantic buzz of agitated inner musings came to a dead halt at an odd whirring sound—like the vacuum sound of a wind tunnel—followed by a loud thud. The contact of flesh and bone on a hard floor. The sound of pain. What an exciting sound.

Bella let the prophecy she was holding slide out of her hand—she would have done it anyways.

With a newfound childish delight she hustled in the direction of the sound.

She found herself standing before a stony archway. One that shimmered with a ghostly fog of its own. How ominous. The girl must have come from the veil.

The girl's body lie horrendously still. Dead still.

Well that was no fun…no fun at all. The silly girl hadn't even give Bella the pleasure of seeing the light leave her eyes.

She wandered closer to the body.

She was a pretty girl this one; thick and shiny dark hair fanning out around her—one strand clinging to her wet forehead, flawless and delicate pale skin (a little blue from being so deprived of air—she had just died), a nice slim figure she had to say, and…Bella opened one of the girl's eyes…a beautiful golden eye.

Striking, mesmerizing eye.

An eye that still had a sparkle of life.

Well, well, what a wonderful surprise…this girl was a tricky one, clearly.

Bellatrix would have much fun with her.

She probed the girl's body with the tip of her wand—trailing it from her stomach up to her neck and over her mouth.

The water followed.

Bellatrix waited for the girl to wake.

And wake she did, with a violent series of body shaking coughs. After sometime Bella's pretty little toy seemed to relax, her body losing tension. She sat there just focusing on taking in the air with a sort of unique application for the stuff. Suddenly the breathing everyone was granted with was something of a blessing to her. Her facial features seemed to soften…also losing that tenseness. Some color seemed to flood back into her skin.

Bella put on an upmost wicked grin.

Just as the girl started taking in another breath, Bella pushed the water back in.

The girl doubled over choking and coughing painfully once more.

Bella moved some of the water to the girl's nose. All air-intake cut off to her again.

Those golden eyes grew wide, Bella watched her clutch at her neck—watched her try to spit the water out. But Bellatrix kept it wedged there. Just as the girl started to fall limp she drew the water out.

The girl now lie on the ground, a tear—just one—in the corner of her eye, once again savoring every breath she could.

And Bellatrix repeated her course of action. Her smile ever growing. The dark-haired girl was beautiful and fun…a delight really.

The struggling girl seemed to look her way. And those golden eyes flashed with a new emotion. Replacing that fearful gleam was one of loathing and malice. She had found the source of her agony. Bellatrix's cruel gleeful grin widened.

Her new pet was going to be heaps of fun.


	2. Bella's Game

The girl lunged at Bellatrix.

It was a swift fluid motion. Flawless and quick. It was as if she didn't actually just receive the splendor that was a taste of Bella's favorite hobby. The girl was now on top of Bellatrix, pinning her to the floor. But really what could the girl do, she looked like one of those muggles to Bella.

She smiled up at the girl with some twisted joy. Her new friend wanted to play. "Go on then, love, show me what you're made of."

She grabbed a fistful of Bellatrix's curls, nails digging sharply into her scalp.

_Not bad._ Bella mused. _Not bad at all. _She felt her head jerk forward, the girl's face now only inches from her own.

She smelled of floral perfume.

Expensive floral perfume.

Her breaths falling harsh and heavy on Bella's face, tickling her nose. "Well, what do you got for me, love?"

The girl answered with a small flame. It was of a sapphire color and quivered softly on and around her slender fingers.

Bella's brows furrowed, this wasn't part of the plan. "What are you?" She whispered before the flame met her face. She didn't cry out, she wouldn't give the girl the pleasure. She did however give the girl a forceful shove.

She clung tightly to Bella's hair, the shove dragged both of them down. However this time it was Bella who was on top.

The girl struggled, managing to land a few more kicks and punches—some of which laced with fire. Bellatrix drew out her wand and let the magic set to work on repairing the worst of the damages. And again she poised her wand at the fiery girl—pressing it uncomfortably into the soft part of her neck. And from there to the girl's forehead.

And so it was that the girl bit her. Reflexively Bella let the wand fall to the ground, where it rolled some distance away. "YOU STUPID GIRL!" Bellatrix shrieked, her eyes widening with a wild gleam, she wasn't about to lose her own game. The girl beneath her didn't so much as cringe.

And then Bellatrix calmed. That wicked gleam leaving her eyes, muscles relaxing. She loosened her grip on the girl and let her scramble a few feet away.

The flames sparked on her fingertips once more.

"Put that down girl. Bella isn't gonna hurt you. Not anymore anyways." Bellatrix shrugged. "See, I like you. You're fun, you don't cry and scream like the rest of them—though screaming and crying is always an ear pleaser—it gets old."

The girl didn't out the flames, if anything she let them rise another inch higher.

"I'm rather curious about you, love." Bellatrix dared step a footfall closer. "I've never met a witch of your nature. How do you do that? Make fire without a wand?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about. No one I know needs a stick to waterbend." The girl spat.

"Waterbend?" Bellatrix tilted her head. "I haven't heard of such magic. And I promise you this, I'm very good at what I do."

"So am I." The girl was still breathing heavily, those golden eyes angry and insane…daring Bellatrix to come any closer. "So am I." She repeated, this time making a show of those otherworldly blue flames.

"Yes pretty, pretty. Wonderful too. Now put the fire down." Bellatrix commanded.

"Or what?" The girl hissed. "You don't have your waterbending stick. You can't hurt me."

Bellatrix chuckled. "Bella is very good at what she does, love. I don't need my wand to hurt you." She took another snide step forward.

The girl's eyes flashed with a more intense fury. Bellatrix could say it was a wild gleam.

"I know that look. I see it every day when I'm combing my hair or putting on makeup. I think we can get along. I can help you get back to your world."

"I don't want to go back there." The girl scowled. "I'm not gonna let them lock me up again.

"It seems we have more in common than we thought, love. How about this? Put the fire out and Bella will help the little fire girl get used to this stwange stwange world." Bellatrix cocked her head. "What do you say, love?"

The girl let the fire in her hand fade to smoke.

"Good, good." Bella grinned. "So what's your name, girl?"

She stepped forward and punched Bella squarely in the jaw.

"Yes, yes, you know how to play Bella's game. You've already showed that."

"My name is Azula. Rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne." Azula replied.

"Fire Nation?" Bellatrix questioned. "You and I have a lot to learn from each other. Of course if we're going to get anywhere, you're going to have to march with us."

She took hold of the girl's hand—trying to do so with as little malice as possible—and turned it palm up. Her skin was so pure, so untainted, she almost felt bad that she was going to ruin it. "You're gonna have to get the mark, love."


End file.
